Corona tests brought 7.5 million BAM to the budget of the Institute of Public Health of RS

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Institute of Public Health of the Republika Srpska has earned 7.9 million marks from commercial coronavirus testing from May last year until today.

The Institute started commercial testing in May last year, and since then, around 69,000 commercial tests have been performed. 

"Funds from commercial testing go into the Institute's budget and are used to finance the procurement of PCR tests, extractions, viral transport media, accompanying consumables, laboratory equipment, its maintenance and depreciation, personal protective equipment for employees involved in sampling in the laboratory, salaries of laboratory employees, and overhead costs," the Institute stated. 

Commercial PCR tests were most often needed by the diaspora, i.e., people working abroad, when returning from Bosnia and Herzegovina to a foreign country.

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who went on vacation to countries that required negative PCR tests upon entry to their territory also got tested. 

The queues at commercial testing sites were so long that appointments were necessary to get tested.

It is also important to recall that the Government of Republika Srpska, largely composed of SNSD ministers, after a party gathering on Kozara, which according to the party had about 15,000 supporters, began promoting the importance of vaccination and prevention of virus spread. 

Namely, as stated by the Government, there are enough vaccines, but citizens are not very interested in receiving them and thus protecting themselves and others. Therefore, the authorities plan a campaign that will cost around 50,000 marks.

(Capital)